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Dr. Elijah Ateka

Dr. Elijah AtekaElijah Miinda Ateka, born 20-08-72, studied Agriculture at the University of Nairobi (1991-1995), Nairobi, Kenya and earned an M.Sc. in Plant Pathology at the College of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, University of Nairobi (1997-1999) and a Ph.D in Plant Pathology (specializing in molecular virology) within the framework of a split-site program at the University of Nairobi and the Biologische Bundesanstalt fur Land- und Forstwirtschaft, Institut fur Pflanzenvirologie, Mikrobiologie und Biologische Sicherheit, Braunschweig, Germany (2005).

His specialization includes plant virology, plant biotechnology and microbiology. He has risen to the rank of Senior Lecturer at the Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), in Nairobi, Kenya. Before Joining JKUAT, Dr. Ateka worked as a Senior Research Officer at the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute’s Biotechnology Center situated at the National Agricultural Research Laboratories (NARL) campus in Nairobi.

In addition to teaching, Dr. Ateka has been involved in a number of researches particularly in cassava and sweet potato virus diagnostics and characterization. Over 20 publications and book chapters attest to this fact. He has also supervised over 15 graduate students to his name. Dr. Ateka has previously consulted for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (2008-2010) specifically on the plant breeding and biotechnology capacity in sub-Saharan Africa; and for the National Council for Science and Technology on potential for value addition and opportunities for product development in biotechnology as well as the development of a biotechnology innovation system in Kenya. He is a member of the National Technical Pesticide Standards Committee.

He was recently awarded a Visiting Research Fellowship by Nagoya University, Japan to conduct research in the biotic constraints of rice. Dr Ateka is happily married to Azenath N. Ateka and they have two children.

AJFAND values and appreciates Dr Ateka’s contribution as a dedicated reviewer of the Journal manuscripts. Ed. AJFAND

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Featured in this issue

1. Dr. Elijah Ateka